Tuesday, approximately 4:00pm, 25th February 2014 will be forever be engrave in my memory as an unforgettable day of my life. It was a day when my heart failed to function as it should.
What I am posting here is just what the doctor ordered i.e. to share based on own personal experience and hopefully we can learn on the symptoms of a heart attack and how to handle the situation. It's going to be in a long single posting posting and hopefully won't bore you to another death... :-)
It all began almost normal in the Tuesday morning except that on that fateful day I was on medical since Monday due to a minor case of gout.The routine activity started with the morning prayers and a quick bath before heading downstairs for breakfast cooked by my wife. Then proceed to drive my two kids to school as always. Later I took my cousins who happen to stay at our other house nearby for breakfast too and just about 11:00 pm waited for a taxi to come and fetch them as they are returning to their home town by plane through LCCT. Then had lunch at home. After a while I felt bored and decided to do some window shopping at a nearby shopping mall (SACC to be exact). I took my trusted auto Yahama Lenovo 125 to SACC mall and after a while there its time to go back home as its kinda boring as the mall is quite dull and not many shoppers on that day as its on a weekday.
As I walked down towards the escalator all of the sudden I felt my heart suddenly starts to pound heavily and more heavily. My breathing gets heavier and I felt that the air did not get into my lungs sufficiently. There was also a light chest pain like someone was pressing on your chest. I decided to sit at a nearby rest area and try to clam down myself by rubbing my chest area hoping it will soon go away. But it didn't and the breathing gets more heavier and pain was getting more intense. I thought to myself that this is not something normal and must act quickly. Its either to get help from someone or go to the nearest clinic or medical centre. My thoughts was the nearest clinic/medical centre at Darul Ehsan Medical Centre (DEMC) which is about only 2 km away from the shopping mall. But remembered that I had a difficult time to register myself there the last time as it was not under my employer norunder my personal insurance panel. So the next option was to KPJ Selangor (KPJ) which is about 5 km away.
I walked quickly to my bike and rode towards KPJ with one arm on the throttle and the other holding my chest. At one time I felt nausea but managed to hold on. My head felt a little light headed but luckily did not pass out. I reached KPJ parking and quick walk towards the entrance of the clinic and quickly made a call to my wife, Rizha. Told her in one breath that I was having a chest pain and heading to KPJ and hangs up the phone. I don't know if she heard me or not but I just don't have the energy to talk more. As I reached the reception, I told them I am having short of breath and needed an emergency care. They quickly laid me on the bed, took my vital signs and a doctor came over to check on me. He was very methodical in his enquiries. He ask for my name, what transpired, what was I doing prior to the pain, where the pain was, the level of pain, my medical history, who sent me to the medical centre, my age and many more. I believe he's trying to establish the facts and at the same time to check on my state of alertness.
At the same time other nurses hooked me up on the electrocardiogram (ECG) machine and oxygen mask. The good doctor read the readings and confirmed to me that I just had a heart attack. He gave me what I believe is nitroglycerin which is a small pill put under your tongue to reduce the chest pain.
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The most common cause of an MI (Myocardial Infarction/Heart Attack)
is a blood clot (thrombosis) that forms inside a coronary artery, or one of its branches. This blocks the blood flow to a part of the heart.
Source: http://www.patient.co.uk/health/myocardial-infarction-heart-attack
After about 10 minutes Dr Ting Chih Kuan, a cardiologist specialist came and took over the case from the house doctor.
Source: http://www.kpjselangor.com/KPJ/doctor.php
He went through all the reports again and interviewed me for the second round to verify the facts and told my spouse (who had by that time reached the hospital) and me that we need to do the operations immediately to increase the chance of having minimal damage effect to the heart. He was very encourage that I came early for treatment. I encountered the heart failure at 4:00 pm, reached KPJ at 4:15 pm and started early treatment by 4:20pm. In fact he told us that I maybe one of the earliest patient to arrive for a treatment after suffering a heart failure (ayat nak bagi confident kot huhuhu...)
Most of the time, patients would go back home to try on their own medicines or simply just don't know what to do until its too late.
Then the administrative process took over, there was the insurance and guarantee letter (GL) from my employer to sort out. Also to sign the consent agreement to have myself operated and agree with their terms and conditions (what can we say kan???sign saje lah huhhu) .At that time, my GL & insurance paperworks was slightly delayed and the hospital asked for RM10,000 deposit to proceed immediately with the operation. I was unaware of this and my wife, Rizha had to endure the stress to sort this out. As my employer's GL limit covers only RM20,000.00 we opted to use my personal insurance instead. The doctor told me the cost would range from RM25,000.00 - RM35,000.00. So my friends, please check with your employer on your hospital entitlements and at the same time have yoursel personally insured as you may never know when you may need it.
After about 15 minutes, all documentation were settled. Ohh before that, they changed my clothings and have all my pubic hair and both of my arm hair shaved in preparation for the operation. The operation is called Cardiac Cath with Angioplasty.
Angioplasty is a procedure to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. A stent is then inserted into the coronary artery. As stent is a small, metal mesh tube that opens up (expands) inside a coronary artery. A stent is often placed after angioplasty. It helps prevent the artery from closing up again. (source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000195.htm
 
Okay now off to the operation room located on the 1st floor..Bismillah
How do I feel at that time?? To be honest, I felt better, not nervous and a little bit excited?? I guest the nitroglycerin had seeps in and done its job and the doctor gave his assurance that everything should be alright and that I have confidence with him. Anyway while on the way recited Zikirullah and mengucap dua kali syahadah, surah Al-Fatihah, tiga Qul and surah Al-Qursi all the way there. On the way being wheeled managed to catch a glimpse of my brother and sister-in-law who came by......(thanks Abg Yem & Kak Wati)
Enter the operating theatre....boy was the room cold to the bones. The room was quite spacious, obviously clean with lots of equipments around. I think there were 3 specialist nurse assisting Dr Ting at that time.
Source: http://www.imris.com/sites/default/files/pictures/yale-angio-sm.jpg
Dr Ting again explained the procedure which he will put me on anaesthetic on the lower part of my body, insert a wire?? through the artery vein located on my right leg, pump a special dye to the vessels, removes any blood clots, expands the balloon and insert the stent (that's based my understanding lah hehehe)
This is what actually happens during the angiogram procedure
I believe it was about 5:12 pm when he started the procedure. There was a slight pain when the wire we inserted thorough the artery veins. Bear in mind that I am conscious of what is happenning around the room and able to communicate with the doctor and nurses. But for now still able to bear with minor pains here and there. I am also able to see what Dr Ting is doing as there were 3 live monitors on my left showing many parts of the heart areas. An auto scanner was placed just above my chest and moves constantly around to capture the screens....marvellous inventions.
Then Dr Ting said he's going to remove the blood clot and I will feel sudden rush and feels uncomfortable. Well guess what? It not only uncomfortable but truly truly unbearable. I felt that as if my heart had stopped and am having this excruciating pain. Ya Allah, this I thought was the end of the day for me, this must be how it felt when the Malaikat (the Saint) pull your soul out. I immediately told Dr Ting of my pain and he told me that he will administer 2.5 mg of heroin to ease the pain. He then asked me if there were any improvement. No way I told him.....and he told me that he'll add another 2.5 mg of heroin. After what I felt was about 2 minutes of agonizing pain, it started to gradually reduce and my heart felt much much better. Next Dr Ting told me that he will insert a stent to expand the artery veins. Yes doc.....do whatever is necessary....huhuhu (still remembering the last 2 minutes experience...nothing could be possibly worst that that..I thought)
Well it went through quite nicely and the operation was completed...yeaaaaa Alhamdulliah. I can see from the screen that the blood flows more freely throughout almost all parts of my heart veins. Dr Ting said temporary farewell to me and will come over to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) later to brief on the result. In the meantime, I was put on 12 hours of drip to melt??/(cair) my blood (the chief nurse whispered to me-'Sir, we are going to put you on this drip for 12 hours to melt the blood. This drip is very expensive' - walau weh...more money matters again huhuhu...). After a while the nurses finishes up with all the necessary dressings and cart me to the ICU. It was about 6:45 pm. Total time in the operation room was almost 1 1/2 hours.
Here's the result given later (before on the left/after on the right). Top two pics is my left part of the heart and the last pics is my right side of the heart....all system go.
The right side of the heart still has approximately 40% of blockage but as according to Dr Ting the veins are too tiny to insert the stent and that it supplies to small area of the heart. Will need to monitor this during the next medical check-up and try to treat it by medication first where possible.
Happy face @ ICU
I was at ICU for one night for observation and transferred to normal ward the next day. Many friends and relative were there to visit and give comforts. Thanks everyone for all the wishes and Doas. It was like I said before - an experience not to forget for a long long time.
 
Some souvenirs from KPJ to take home
 
As mentioned by Dr Ting I was very lucky because:
Adding to that, all the doa's and prayers from my family members, relatives and friends and nost of all from from the all Mighty Allah s.w.t for giving my yet another opportunity to serve Him, InsyaAllah
For everyone reading, please please please be aware the signs of a heart attack. DO NOT wait for it to subside as it won't and if it does its only temporary and may damage some parts of of heart.
Owh.....before I forget the total cost of the operation is RM32,247.00... ;-(
After 2 nights at KPJ I was discharged and the doctor advice to rest for the next 2 weeks and follow up treatment thereafter.
More friends came to my house to visit...thanks bros
Here's a similar video on Cardiac Cath with Angioplasty
All I can say is ALHAMDULLIAH, thank you Allah s.w.t for giving me another opportunity to live and to love everyone around me.
Watching the sun rise after the 5th day of the operation...
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Very good blog. A personal experience for others to share knowledge and know what to expect in such urgent situation.
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